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12 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Deep Fry

People all over the globe are experimenting with what can and cannot be deep fried. An entire turkey – yes, lasagne – yes, butter – yes. Curiosity got the better of us and we ended up searching the web for the most interesting deep-fried recipes and here’s what we found. Warning: if high calorie cooking isn’t your thing, you probably shouldn’t read this.

1. Deep-fried Stawberries

These juicy strawberries are dipped in pancake-like batter before being deep-fried to perfection. You can try different combinations like dipping in chocolate sauce before the batter or adding cinnamon to the mixture.

2. Red Velvet Fried Chicken

No matter how much it looks like tandoori chicken, you’re going to have to believe us when we tell you this these deep-fried drumsticks are breaded with crumbs of red velvet cake. The ultimate combination of flavours – served with broccoli to iron out the pangs of self-loathing after you devour it.

3. Fried Baked Potato

You heard us right; this spud has been baked, then fried, then topped with crunchy fried pork, cheese, sour cream and bacon. Is it a breakthrough in the world of jacket potatoes or complete annihilation?

4. Deep-fried Meringues

These floating islands aren’t much like their pure, white, fluffy poached counterparts which could be described as the picturesque floating islands of the South Pacific. In our opinion, these deep-fried meringues smothered in caramel and toffee are like the Ibiza of floating island dessert land. Delicious.

5. Southern Fried Quail

Most of us are familiar with the wave of guilt that immediately follows a binge at the local fried chicken shop but does a posher bird equal reduce the shame factor? Andy Bates’s quail, coated in spicy breadcrumbs and served with peach salsa could make those deep-fried poultry cravings easier to overcome.

6. Deep-fried Bagel Sandwich

Almost every ingredient in this bagel sandwich is deep fried; from the battered bagels, to the fried tomatoes and capers. If this wasn’t enough grease for you, it’s also stuffed with cream cheese and smoked salmon. Side portion of onion rings and mozzarella sticks, anyone?

7. Deep-fried Turkey

Ever had the urge to put an entire turkey into the deep fat fryer? It’s not as ridiculous as it sounds and trust us when we say that deep frying whole birds prevents them from becoming dry and overcooked. The hot oil seals the outside of the meat whilst the moisture inside steams through the turkey. It can be an incredibly dangerous procedure so make sure you take the right precautions – Alton Brown’s recipe should see you right.

8. Deep-fried Mac and Cheese

The nature of pasta bake is that it solidifies after a day. We all hate it but apart from restoring it with more sauce, what else can be done to save it? Of course, the answer lies in deep frying. Take mac and cheese, for example. Cut day-old mac into squares, dredge each piece in breadcrumbs and deep fry for a crispy, crunchy cube of cheesy perfection. So wrong, yet so right.

10. Deep-fried Lasagne

If Deep-fried Mac and Cheese wasn’t enough for you, here’s Paula Deen’s recipe for Deep-fried Lasagne. All you need is a refrigerated, day-old lasagne to encase in breadcrumbs and deep fry. Don’t act like you’re not curious.

11. Deep-fried Cheesecake

It’s probably not everyone’s ultimate fantasy but die-hard cheesecake lovers will dribble at the thought of these wedges of cheesecake being wrapped in filo pastry and deep fried. It doesn’t get any more American than this.

12. Fried Butter Balls

This isn’t just a cute name for some fried goodie that resembles butter. It’s actual butter. Fried. You might think it’s not possible but combined with cream cheese, frozen and coated in breadcrumbs, butter can indeed be fried. The story goes that the recipe was sent in by a Food Network viewer after Paula Deen’s son Bobby joked that his mum’s favourite food was fried butter. That, we can believe.